Images from Port Rashid, Dubai (2010) - non-webcam

[Rob Lightbody]

Many thanks to Marc Cohen for these wonderful photos of our favourite ship taken yesterday morning - the 2nd January.

[Twynkle]

The first camera shots of QE2 in Twenty Ten.
These are fine images...
It's great to see QE2 'almost' today.
Sun shining - and Queen Elizabeth 2 still well visible on the stern side of her funnel 'scoop'
It appears that she may now be berthed much further towards the 'head' of the harbour wall.
It's difficult to see whether or not there's any wispy diesel exhaust...
Can anyone verify this?
Thank you for both sending them for us, and posting.

[Richard Coltman]

And the Cunard rampant lion.  So unlike removing the Cunard letters from below the bridge that emblem of Cunard still remains.

[citrail]

It is good to see her in 2010 still in one piece. However the sad signs are there, that there is very little happening onboard. No people in any of the shots and the painter's cradle still exactly where it was in the November pictures.

[Rob Lightbody]

You are very welcome to post them on the forum. I am a keen cruiser and was once fortunate enough to take a short trip on the QE2, I did the first maiden voyage on QM2 which was awesome.
There was a fair bit of activity on board and she was illuminated on all decks at night, she did look in quite good condition, I believe her hull had recently been re-painted. I was on a cruise in the gulf on the new costa luminosa which is why I was able to get close to the QE2 when we berthed some 300 yards to her stern.
As you are probably aware there are real financial dramas in Dubai and the rumours and whispers are indicating that the current owners want to sell her. Wouldnt it be amazing if somehow she could be brought back to Southampton, shemay come cheap!

[Rob Lightbody]

Some more images from Marc are attached

[Peter Mugridge]

Excellent photos.

I don't like the proximity of that huge crane to the funnel, though.  It makes me nervous...

[luzparis]

very beautiful pictures !! 

[Chris]

Such a nice surprise to see QE2 this morning - thanks to Marc!

Happy New Year to our wonderful QE2 - hopefully you'll get what you deserve this year - a retirement fit for a Queen!

[Rob Lightbody]

These images are from a few days ago, and include a nice one of QE2's 2009 Christmas Tree !  Doesn't she look wonderful?

[hollihedge]

Thanks for posting - she is looking lovely, as always.

[luzparis]

very very nice pictures

[jdl]

You've done it again with a great set of pictures Rob - let's see where they turn up in the mainstream press....

She is looking fantastic and the tree is a very nice little touch, really shows the character of the nameless people who are looking after her.  It looks like her unique soul has rubbed off on them, even without her crew and passengers on board - this has made my day!

jdl

[Jem]

There she is looking fantastic, all dressed up and no where to go! Surely some one some where wants to take this magnificient lady to sea again?

[Chris]

Yay QE2!

[Matt]

Deep down they really love and treasure the QE2!

[Blue Bombay]

Nice touch indeed. 

Louis

[Mauretania1907]

Many thanks to the kind people who took and posted these pix. Also to whoever it was who bought her a Christmas tree. I guess her Christmas was like mine, very quiet (But I did go to visit my Mum for a couple of days.)

[highlander0108]

Great pictures, but hard to look at knowing that she is just idle and looking like she's ready to go.   One interesting thing I just noticed is that they have left the "whiskers" deployed at the bow.  If the ship was essentially laid up, I would have thought they would have been stowed.

[Rob Lightbody]

Great pictures, but hard to look at knowing that she is just idle and looking like she's ready to go.   One interesting thing I just noticed is that they have left the "whiskers" deployed at the bow.  If the ship was essentially laid up, I would have thought they would have been stowed.

Yes.  But i think the honest answer might be that when they docked her there, they thought it wouldn't be for long, as she was about to go to Cape Town (at the time). 

[citrail]

I wonder if the final nail in the Cape Town "coffin" came a few weeks ago when they moved her up to the end of the dock where she is now. Or was it just for logistical reasons, too many other ships around

[Matt]

I wonder if the final nail in the Cape Town "coffin" came a few weeks ago when they moved her up to the end of the dock where she is now. Or was it just for logistical reasons, too many other ships around

Shortly after the QE2 was moved up port, the cruise terminal port was full, so it appears that she was moved up due to excessive cruise ship presence!

Matt

[Peter Mugridge]

I have to ask... did they use just tugs or did they use her own engines to assist when they moved her forwards?

[Rob Lightbody]

I have to ask... did they use just tugs or did they use her own engines to assist when they moved her forwards?

I can't imagine they'd use her own engines for this... she's so un-manouevarble! 

[RMS Queen Elizabeth 2]

She still looks beautiful.  Love the Christmas tree added to her signal pole. 

[dmviolator]

Thanks for the awesome pictures! Happy New Year everyone!

[Rob Lightbody]

http://tweetphoto.com/8980760 (yesterday)

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Oh what a beauty... 

With all those cruise ships sailing in and out, as we see from their webcams, it's quite amazing that we are not coming across more pictures from those same cruise ship passengers, spending a quiet moment marvelling at the beauty of QE2 and wishing they were there...

[Blue Bombay]

With all those cruise ships sailing in and out, as we see from their webcams, it's quite amazing that we are not coming across more pictures from those same cruise ship passengers, spending a quiet moment marvelling at the beauty of QE2 and wishing they were there...

Sadly not a lot of people like the QE2.

Louis

[jdl]

Sad indeed, they have no idea what they are missing/have missed!!!

jdl

[Chris]

Sadly not a lot of people like the QE2.

Louis

I disagree... I think a lot of people like the QE2. I am sure there have been thousands of pics taken since her arrival in Dubai. More likely, not a lot of people are web-savvy enough to upload and share their pics.

[Twynkle]

Louis
There's no proof that, as you say,

Sadly not a lot of people like the QE2.

is there??
Yes - It would be very sad indeed if we knew that not a lot of people liked QE2!

She is mentioned in all the blogs and many reports coming out of Dubai... as well as the travel literature and advertising
She is looking very good indeed.
Surely this wouldn't be the case, if the people who are looking after her thought she wasn't a valuable asset?

There will be people arriving from all over the world with a hope of seeing QE2
'Dubai International Airport experienced a 9.2 percent growth in passenger numbers last year.
Bucking the trend of declining air travel in much of the rest of the world, Dubai International Airport recorded a total of 40.9 million passengers in 2009'.
http://www.etravelblackboard.us/showarticle.asp?id=93247

There's just been the repeat of a radio programme on the BBC - certainly this wouldn't have been repeated, if 'not a lot of people like QE2'
Thankfully, she's one of the best things around - QE2 is a good part of our history!

[Blue Bombay]

There will be people arriving from all over the world with a hope of seeing QE2
'Dubai International Airport experienced a 9.2 percent growth in passenger numbers last year.
Bucking the trend of declining air travel in much of the rest of the world, Dubai International Airport recorded a total of 40.9 million passengers in 2009'.
http://www.etravelblackboard.us/showarticle.asp?id=93247

Rosie, can you proof that the 40.9 million went to Dubai just to see the QE2? I doubt it.

When i worked onboard i came across many passengers that didnt like the ship and they never came back.

I love the QE2 and i am happy to share my pics.I wonder way is that other people the liked the QE2 dont share any pics?

Louis

[Blue Bombay]

December shots of the QE2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198819032/in/set-72157622907640541/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198059749/in/set-72157622907640541/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198814860/in/set-72157622907640541/

Louis

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

December shots of the QE2
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198819032/in/set-72157622907640541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198059749/in/set-72157622907640541/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198814860/in/set-72157622907640541/

Well spotted, Louis! Great close-ups, and not a "QE2" tag in sight on the Flickr page to facilitate finding them...

The second of these shows the new "Port Vila" lettering in excellent detail, with "Southampton" still in situ and merely painted over. Some crew to be seen on the third picture. I wonder how Erika Heinz managed to get so close to the ship -- either that, or she had a powerful zoom.

Six pictures there altogether -- another great find!

[Blue Bombay]

Well spotted, Louis! Great close-ups, and not a "QE2" tag in sight on the Flickr page to facilitate finding them...

Isabelle,I had about an hour on it today looking for those thousand pics on Flickr, i searched for the recent ships that visited Dubai like the Aida, Costa ships etc, then i went through every single pic. This pics are from a couple that was onboard the Aida Diva in December. And yes no tags saying QE2.

That just proofs my point that some people dont care about or what happens with the QE2.I did come across a pic of the QE2 but the title says Queen Mary. That says it all...............

Louis

[Blue Bombay]

Heres the pic in question.Humiliating!!!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/butterfly10/4206601484

Louis

[Rob Lightbody]

December shots of the QE2

Great shots!  She's looking good.  One thing struck me while looking at them - all the light fitments I can see are illuminated.  They must be replacing bulbs.  They wouldn't all be working after all this time.  For example, the row of downlighters above the Lido windows.

[citrail]

I think these were low energy or compact fluorescent, so it's possible they could have lasted so long. But not all of them. Some would have surely gone and some of the lamps would be normal filament lamps. So yes there must be some maintenance taking place, large or small.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The lady who took the close-ups of QE2's stern has meanwhile replied to a comment I left on her photo :

Auf unserer Kreuzfahrt mit dem Clubschiff AIDAdiva (Dubai - Muscat - Abu Dhabi - Manama - Dubai) hatten wir Gelegenheit, uns die Queen Elizabeth 2 aus nächster Nähe anzusehen. Der Zugang zur QE2 war mit einem Bauzaun abgesperrt, doch konnten wir bis an den Bug heran. Auf dem Schiff grüßte die Besatzung fröhlich und winkte uns zu.
Im Vergleich zu den jetzigen Kreuzfahrtschiffen wirkt die QE2 natürlich sehr klein, verständlich wenn man bedenkt, wann sie erbaut wurde.
Im Nachhinein ist es schade, dass wir nicht doch noch mehr Bilder von der alten Dame gemacht haben.

"During our cruise on the Club Ship AIDAdiva (Dubai - Muscat - Aby Dhabi - Manama - Dubai) we had the opportunity to take a close look at the Queen Elizabeth 2. Access to the QE2 was blocked by a builders' fence, but we were able to walk up as far as the stern. On the ship, the crew greeted us cheerfully and waved to us. Compared to the current cruise ships the QE2 does seem to be very small, which is natural if one remembers when she was built. Looking back, it is a pity that we did not take a few more pictures of the old lady."

She very willingly added tags reading "QE2" and "Queen Elizabeth 2" as I had requested and, while she was at it, also added "Queen Elizabeth II".

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikaheinzurlaub/4198059749/

[Matt]

Its nice to see a decent amount of crew on the Stern. I'd like to be one for a while, just to check her insides!

[Blue Bombay]

Its nice to see a decent amount of crew on the Stern. I'd like to be one for a while, just to check her insides!

I wonder if Nahkeel ( or whoever ) order them a "no talk policy" to the outsiders ?

Louis

[Blue Bombay]

Recent aerial view of the QE2.So lonely.........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmcl/4293330927/

Louis

[Blue Bombay]

Another shot from Dubai.Note the guy on the raft doing some painting i think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hogantonge/4352249150/sizes/l/

Louis

[citrail]

It's almost impossible to imagine so much love, time and money being lavished upon this ship if it were never to go to sea again.
You just wouldn't

[Cunardqueen]

Well isnt that a most amazing photo, such detail !
 It does show they are taking good care of her, doesnt it....

[highlander0108]

Great photo find!  Another thing that is a bit disturbing is the rat guards are missing on several of the mooring lines.  Are there any rats in Dubai ports?

[Chris]

A fantastic pic of QE2 - she looks wonderfully cared for!

[andy liney]

Costa have set up a special website for when the Costa Deliziosa is named in Dubai on 23 February. In due course, this will become live with pictures of the event, etc. Presumably there is a chance that these may include views of the QE2 at some stage.

http://www.costadeliziosa.com/EN/

[Rob Lightbody]

There's a nice image of QE2 from the air here:-

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/2010/02/on-top-of-the-world---and-quee.html

[citrail]

Doesn't look like they're going to turn it round

[Matt]

Photo of Costa Deliziosa with QE2 in the background:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3442858&id=89062077445

[Blue Bombay]

Another pic from Dubai

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grey0beard/4413045057/in/set-72157600389270064/

Louis

[Twynkle]

Another one, this time aerial, from the same set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grey0beard/4413054435/in/set-72157623441359649/

  She's looking so very good -
Hope that we'll see people on board and enjoying themselves, very, very soon

[greybeard]

Glad you liked my pictures. QE2 looks in good condition, and as you can see, she has generators running (no cold-ironing) but it's disturbing to see the sunbeds and junk piled up on the aft decks

[Rob Lightbody]

They're great pics, thanks!

Any chance of seeing the originals (so we can zoom in more!).

I don't see junk... just neatly stacked sunbeds... am i missing something?

[Twynkle]

A blog containing 2 small images of QE2 (and smoke from her funnel!)
taken by passengers on board Crystal Serenity.
http://kesamswc10.blogspot.com/2010/03/welcome-to-dubai-day-63.html

[Matt]

A blog containing 2 small images of QE2 (and smoke from her funnel!)
taken by passengers on board Crystal Serenity.
http://kesamswc10.blogspot.com/2010/03/welcome-to-dubai-day-63.html

Thanks for finding these Rosie! Its great to see the QE2 after seeing the Mary today!

 If you click on the Photo's, it makes them alot bigger!!

Regards,
Matt

[Matt]

I believe this is an '09 image of QE2 in Dubai - But a very beautiful one at night!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wollis/4435875943/sizes/o/

And another Image, from Jan '10:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grey-panther/4408533443/sizes/l/

This image is absolutely fantastic, of the port side of QE2, probably taken from another cruise ship, or the breakwall enclosing in Port Rashid:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerryhill/4395953253/sizes/o/

And finally a few more nice images from Dubai:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drum881/4341006909/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drum881/4341006033/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drum881/4340782417/sizes/l/

A big thankyou to all the Photographers!

Matt

[citrail]

You've obviously been busy too then Matt.

Many thanks.